97 Ford Contour. Alternator Problem?

L

Lara H

New member
Hello. I'll give step by step the problem experienced. 97 Ford Contour 2.5 litre. 66 mile journey. Noticed RPM gauge set at zero some time about 50 miles with a few times engaging. Parked car for several hours. Car running smoothly the whole time. Starting to return the 66 miles. Car running in driveway, about ten minutes then noticed the headlamps very dim as well as dash lights. Drove away and car started spitting with no power. Power windows slow to roll and turned right around after a few hundred yards and coasted, NO GAS PEDDLE (because that's all she'd do) back to my starting point. Thank Goodness. Turned her off. Tried to restart. Got the dreaded clicking. Took a little over an hour for hubby to fetch us at which time we were going to push her in the driveway but thought I'd turn the key. Started right up. Ran normally for about 10 minutes. Repeated problems exactly till restart and then the clicking. Is this our alternator? Thank you for your help. Car still stranded.
 
Probability is high that the alternator is bad! If you can charge the battery and get it to a parts store (Advanced Auto...) many will test your system on the car or off. Call one near you first and see if they do free on car testing of starting/charging system! Bad battery or bad connections are also suspect.
 
They do free tests at most major auto parts stores. My first guess is a dead battery cell. You can remove the battery for a bench test. Another possibility is corroded battery cable. Remove your battery cables and clean them thoroughly. Watch for signs of corrosion travelling up the cable under the insulation. Power wash your engine TOTALLY. Spray CRC Electronic cleaner on your alternator. THe last possibility is a stuck voltage regulator. Most Ford's have an external one mounted under the hood. Good luck!!
 
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